Calgary Nearby: Medicine Hat

The name of Medicine Hat originated from a great battle between the Cree and the
Blackfoot on the banks of a nearby river. The Cree fought bravely until their
medicine man deserted them, losing his headdress in midstream. Seeing this as a
bad omen the warriors put down their weapons and were slaughtered by the Blackfoot.
The site was known thereafter as "Saamis," which translates as the medicine man's hat.

The city sites on an underground aquifer which provides the city unlimited cool
water. The city also sits on 20 billion cubic metres of natural gas, which caused
Rudyard Kipling to comment that the community has "all hell for a basement".
The gas from this field supplied the fast-growing city of Calgary with gas (though a 300 kilometre pipeline built by Canadian Western Natural Gas Company, now ATCO Gas) until other reserves were found around the province.

Today, Medicine Hat has about 45,000 residents (they call themselves "Hatters"), with a diverse economy. The huge nearby Suffield military base (just tot he west of town) is used to train Canada's and NATO allies' tank forces. The city offers great recreation with the riverside parklands and Echo Dale Park. Medicine Hat also has waterslides (on the west end of town) as well as indoor ones at the Medicine Hat Lodge, and several other family amusements. The town hosts the Medicine Hat Stampede early each August. The city has two major shopping areas, Medicine Hat Mall on Dunsmore Rd S.E, and Southview Shopping Centre on 6th Ave S.E.